It's the largest global m&a transaction since ... Actavis Plc announced a $25.3 billion bid for Forest Labs on Feb. 18th — just 24 hours before the WhatsApp deal. Carl Icahn, who owns 11% of Forest Labs, realized $1.7 billion in gains on the deal.

It's largest global tech m&a deal since Silver Lake announced a $21 billion acquisition of an 84.7% stake in Dell on Feb. 5, 2013 — just a week and a half before the WhatsApp deal.

The U.S. accounts for 78% of global tech sector m&a with 38.6 billion so far in 2014, up from the $28 billion announced in 2013 year-to-date; that's also the highest year-to-date level since 2000 at $59.3 billion.

Global m&a volume stands at $496.8 billion in 2014 year-to-date, the highest year-t0-date volume since 2000 at $640.4 billion, while U.S. targeted m&a volume stands at $320.2 billion so far in 2014, a 34% increase for 2013 ytd $238.2 billion.

Global deal volumes worth $10 billion or more has reached $214.3 billion in 2014 year-to-date, up from $166.3 billion announced in the same 2013 period, and almost half the $512 bn announced in full year 2013.

So yeah, it's a big sum. But perhaps it's more a sign that the 2014 deal pipeline has only just begun to flow.